Parkview implements Ortho Experience

Posted: Friday, February 24, 2012

The Ortho Experience, a therapy and recovery program created especially for active, healthy adults who require total joint replacement, has been implemented at Parkview Huntington Hospital. The program originated at the Orthopedic Hospital at Parkview North as Club Ortho, and is designed to optimize care and help restore patients to a higher quality of living with their new prosthetic joint.

Through the education process, patients learn to expect the best outcomes and learn how important their role is in their own success. At the very first office visit, patients receive information about their condition and are involved in the treatment process through each step of the way. Once the decision for surgery is made, the patient and a guest will be offered a pre-operative class to attend. The class covers everything from pre-operative to post-operative instructions to home care and exercises. Attendees will also receive a spiral-bound guidebook.

“The Ortho Experience initiative at Parkview Huntington Hospital engages the patient and family to take an active role in the progress of their care,” said Julie Fleck, Parkview Ortho chief operating officer. “Parkview Ortho Hospital has had this program for more than seven years, and we have found the level of patient satisfaction to be greatly increased. I and Alan McGee, MD, the Ortho Service Line MD, as part of the Ortho Service Line Team, are very pleased with Parkview Huntington Hospital’s progress and work on this program.”

A team of caregivers works with each patient from beginning to end and beyond, and consists of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and physical and occupational therapists specializing in total joint care. Every detail, from pre-operative teaching to post-operative exercising, is considered and reviewed with the patient.

Darlene Garrett, chief operating officer of Parkview Huntington Hospital, sees implementation of the program as an opportunity to provide a service-excellence driven, total patient experience. “The caregiver team concept to provide total care from beginning to end is one I completely support,” she said. “Also, when patients, with help from their support person and team, play a role in the total process, they learn how important their role is in achieving the best outcomes.”

Designed for the patient’s comfort, Ortho Experience members are encouraged to have a family member or support person to assist them with activities and therapies. Members and coaches attend class together to learn about the member’s surgery and rehabilitation.

“The Ortho Experience has been a real team effort,” added Heather Smith, PAC, who is a physician assistant at Huntington Ortho, a member of Parkview Specialty Physicians. “Steven Wynder, MD, and his team, Parkview Huntington Hospital’s OR, rehab, nursing, case management and dietary departments have been involved from the start.”

Smith was instrumental in bringing the program to Parkview Huntington Hospital, and which she streamlined with the aid of Ruth Wall, RN, and Connie Harris-Shoemaker, RN, for the community hospital. Wall and Harris serve as educators and facilitate the pre-operative classes.

Following surgery, members return to their regular daily activities as soon as possible. Nurses, therapists and the orthopedic physician coordinate pain medication based on the individual’s activity level. Ortho Experience members are most often discharged from the hospital two or three days after surgery.